A Democrat scored a rare win in one of Texas’s reddest legislative seats on Saturday, capturing a state Senate district that Donald Trump carried by double digits as Republicans struggled to turn out voters in a low‑participation special election. The Democrat victory could be short‑lived, with the seat back on the ballot in November’s general election. The upset gives Democrats a brief foothold in the deep‑red district, where Republicans have dominated for decades and are expected to mount an aggressive effort to reclaim the seat in November. Rehmet’s win, driven by unusually low GOP turnout, immediately set off warnings inside Republican circles about voter enthusiasm under the second Trump administration.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a leader of the state and local chapters of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union, handily defeated Republican conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss with a margin of more than 14 points, the Associated Press reported. Rehmet told supporters at his victory rally that “This win goes to everyday working people.” Hancock’s resignation triggered the special election after he left the Legislature last year to join the Texas Comptroller’s Office, where he now serves as acting comptroller following Glenn Hegar’s departure. Hancock is now a candidate in the 2026 Texas Republican Primary to earn the seat for the next term. Hegar resigned to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.
